New Mo6 Te6 Sub-Nanometer-Diameter Nanowire Phase from 2H-MoTe2

Abstract

A novel phase transition, from multilayered 2H-MoTe₂ to a parallel bundle of sub-nanometer-diameter metallic Mo₆ Te₆ nanowires (NWs) driven by catalyzer-free thermal-activation (400-500 °C) under vacuum, is demonstrated. The NWs form along the 〈11-20〉 2H-MoTe₂ crystallographic directions with lengths in the micrometer range. The metallic NWs can act as an efficient hole injection layer on top of 2H-MoTe₂ due to favorable band-alignment. In particular, an atomically sharp MoTe₂ /Mo₆ Te₆ interface and van der Waals gap with the 2H layers are preserved. The work highlights an alternative pathway for forming a new transition metal dichalcogenide phase and will enable future exploration of its intrinsic transportation properties.

Keywords: annealing; molybdenum ditelluride; nanowires; phase transitions.